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The life and death of Rob Ford

(22) Rob Ford speaks as newly Elected Mayor Rob Ford is officially handed the Chain of Office during the 1st meeting of Council at the City of Toronto Council Chambers in Toronto December 7th, 2010. Photo by Dave Abel/Toronto Sun/QMI Agency

- Ford is first elected to Toronto city council and re-elected in 2003 and 2006

Oct. 25, 2010

- Ford is elected mayor of Toronto with 47.7% of the vote (383,501 votes).

Dec. 2010

- Ford gets council to kill the city’s car tax and declares Transit City dead.

Sept. 2011

- Ford suffers his first major loss at council when his push to redevelop the Port Lands is rejected.

Jan. 2012

- Ford and his brother, Doug Ford, start a public weight loss challenge. The initiative, which included weekly weigh-ins on an industrial scale in front of the mayor’s office, eventually ended in June after Rob Ford stopped participating.

Feb. 2012

- Ford’s administration managed to hammer out a contract with the city’s inside and outside workers. The move avoided a garbage strike or lockout.

- Ford is removed from office after a judge rules he violated the province’s conflict of interest legislation. The mayor vows to appeal, wins in Jan. 2013 and stays in office.

May 2013

- News breaks that Ford was caught on camera smoking crack cocaine.

Oct. 2013

- Chief Bill Blair reveals that Toronto Police investigators are now in possession of the Ford crack video.

Nov. 2013

- Ford admits to smoking crack cocaine.

Nov. 2013

- Council strips Ford of most of his mayoral powers and transfers them to then-Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly. From this point on, Ford is mayor in name only.

Jan. 2014

- Rob Ford is the first in line on Jan. 2 to register to run for mayor.

- Later in the month, video emerges of Ford drunkenly ranting at Steak Queen. Ford says he had a “minor setback.”

March 2014

- Ford goes to L.A. to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live

April 2014

- A new video emerges of Ford allegedly smoking crack cocaine.

- The Sun obtains an audio tape of Ford in an Etobicoke bar making racist and sexist comments.

- Ford enters rehab

June 2014

- Ford returns from rehab and resumes his re-election campaign

Sept. 2014

- Rob Ford was diagnosed with pleomorphic liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer. He drops out of the mayor’s race and registers to run for his old council seat.

Sept. 18, 2014

- Rob Ford in an audio statement issued from hospital before starting chemotherapy. In the message, he urged supporters to back his brother in the mayor’s race. “I know I’ll beat this terrible disease … I am determined to face this head-on and return strong for my family and for my city,” he said.

Oct. 16, 2014

- Mount Sinai hospital revealed Ford’s medical records were “inappropriately accessed” by two employees. This was the first of a handful of breaches at hospitals where Ford was treated.

Oct. 27, 2014

- Ford is elected as the councillor for Etobicoke North (Ward 2). John Tory is elected mayor, while Doug Ford finishes second.

Dec. 15, 2014

- Rob Ford finishes his fifth round of chemotherapy and learns his tumour had shrunk by more than 50%.

April 2, 2015

- Rob Ford after doctors confirmed that they will try to operate on May 11. “I got good news today. I’ve been focusing on this. We have our ups and downs every day, but when your life’s on the line ... at least I have a chance,” he said.

May 11, 2015

- Rob Ford undergoes an almost all-day long cancer surgery.

June 11, 2015

- Still recovering from the cancer surgery, Rob Ford showed up at council to take part in the Gardiner East vote.

Sept. 2015

- Rob Ford was back at City Hall full-time and told the Sun: “I’m here full time and just getting back to the old Rob Ford.”

Oct. 27, 2015

- Doug Ford told radio host Bill Carroll that his brother has hit “a little bump in the road” with his health.

Oct. 28, 2015

- Rob Ford’s office released a statement confirming a new tumour has been discovered on his bladder.

Oct. 29, 2015

- Rob Ford spoke about the new tumour (it turned out to be two tumours) in a lengthy press conference outside Mount Sinai Hospital.

- Ford is in “a real fight” to survive in hospital, according to Doug Ford

- Doug Ford also tells the Sun’s Sue-Ann Levy that the ex-mayor is taking part in a clinical research initiative that places pieces of the tumour into mice to see how they respond to particular types of chemo.